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Appearance-related teasing has been cited as a potential risk factor for disordered body image and eating behaviors. To evaluate the prevalence and effects of teasing by family members, researchers collected self-reported data from 372 middle-school girls (mean age, 12.6; 85% white) who participated in a larger middle-school study in Florida.
About one fourth of girls reported appearance-related teasing by a parent, 19% by fathers, 13% by mothers, and 29% by siblings. Twelve percent were teased by a parent about being heavy. In analyses that controlled for body mass index (BMI) and maternal teasing, paternal teasing was a significant predictor of body dissatisfaction, social comparison, thin-ideal internalization, restrictive and bulimic eat…